BJP state president Kamal Sharma's attempt to reconcile two local factions of the party proved futile soon after his visit, when both the groups held separate press conferences in a show of strength.
On February 8, BJP district youth president Vinay Mahajan had dismissed some of the
office-bearers, who allegedly had proximity with BJP district president Suresh Bhatia. Annoyed over this, Bhatia had dissolved the party's district youth wing next day.

Kamal Sharma during his visit to the city tried to bring both the groups on a single platform. Led by Vinay Mahajan, 11 members of recently expired municipal council, along with three former district presidents, held a separate meeting with Kamal Sharma and accused Bhatia of 'dictatorship'.

They claimed that each of them was representing more than 3,000 persons of their wards but the district president was not ignoring them and also creating rift within the party.

A day after the visit, 16 former councillors held a press conference in favour of Bhatia. They claimed that after becoming the district president, Bhatia was working hard for strengthening the party at booth level. They said under Bhatia's supervision, the party had achieved massive following, which was witnessed during the Madhopur rally.

Rejecting Bhatia's claims of having support of 16 former councillors, the other group led by BJP (city) mandal general secretary Ramesh Kholsa said the expired council had 20 BJP councillors of which one has died while the party had expelled three.